SpaceX Fairing Separation Video

SpaceX has released this video of a fairing separation test being conducted at NASA’s Plum Brook Station, part of the Glenn Research Center. In designing the composite fairing, SpaceX kept with its overall philosophy of both in-house production as well as a preference for pneumatic separation systems which can be tested before flight.

Market leader Arianespace on the other hand, also uses a composite payload fairing for the Ariane V, but employs a pyrotechnic separation system. The Ariane fairing is built by the Swiss corporation RUAG, which also supplies a similar structure for the ULA Atlas V 500 series.